Meeting the family

Hi,
I read (ok lurk, lol) here often but have only posted one other time. I'll try and make this short...my YM is coming home on leave from Iraq in a few days. :D Our "relationship" has been all online so far but includes a lot of phone calls, e-mail, chats and webcam. While he is home on leave he wants me to meet his father and at least one of his sisters. I am really nervous about this as I want them to support our relationship and yes ultimately like me.

So, I would appreciate any advice from those who have been to "meet the parents" of their YM. His family does know about me and my age, which by the way I'm 46 and he is 23. Guess I'm also looking for some moral support as this event approaches.
thanks,
Dawn

Hey Dawn and welcome!

I met my guy online while he was in Iraq too. We talked constantly for 4 months but I kept things very platonic before the first face to face meeting because in my experience you really dont know FOR SURE that you have that sort of attraction to a person until that point.
He on the other hand was convinced that we'd hit it off. Im 37 and he's 20 by the way.

I think that you do need to consider the possibility that the spark just wont be there IRL, and just make the first few meetings casual no-pressure deals.

I KNOW that the attachment formed online can be very strong and maybe even more-so when one of the parties is at war because suddenly they know whats ultimately important in life and they start to form ideas about their own mortality and how they want to live once they are "free" again--- but keep it light/casual initially is my best advice.

I personally would want to be comfy with HIM before I even consider meeting his family and maybe thats part of the stress youre feeling now. One step at a time! :D

By the way, is your guy stationed where you live? Or will he be home for a month or so and then have to leave again? Mine is stationed 650 miles away but has come home twice in 2 months since he had his month of leave.
Guess he doesnt mind the drive! :p

Good luck to you and welcome home (soon) to your guy...

Hi Ravenglow,

Thanks for the welcome and concern. We are past platonic feelings at this point. My YM will only be home for 15 days once his feet hit US soil. Right now our plans are that I will be meeting him at the airport, he will stay with me for the first week and then I will take him to his fathers house for a weeks stay with him. So unless I just drop him off at the door a meeting is in the cards. Then he'll stay with me at least one more day before I take him back to the airport to return to Iraq until Nov. or Dec. After he returns from Iraq at that time he wants to leave the military.
That's where we are so the family meeting is pretty inevitable. Funny because a friend just asked me if I'm nervous about him coming home and all. My response was I'm not nervous just excited and anxious. Although its been all online etc we've been through a lot already (too much to detail) and are looking forward to being together, SOON. So soon I'm like Tigger bouncing off the walls, but in a good way.
thanks again, Dawn

I too met my love online (he is 19 and I'm 32) we both were so sure about our feelings for each others...and they were correct :D
But I do agree with ravenglow.. there are many people before us that have met like we have done and the sparks were all over online, but in real life there was nothing...
I got warned about this before I met Joel and I kinda only listened with 1/10th of an ear... I'm sure glad it worked out, cause I think I would have felt so dissapointed it it hadn't.

Anyways when it comes to meeting the family... I must admitt that I'm jealous of you... you seam so calm. I'm gonna meet all of them...and I mean ALL of them in a months time on a barbecue... and there will be 30 new faces that probably wants to ask me all sorts of questions... and me with my bad english (I talk even worse than I write :o(he is from WA)) I'm really nervous about this.
I sure hope its not me they are planning to barbecue :eek: